The recent revelations at Crewe Alexandra Football Club (from Andy Woodward and Steve Walters) and today from ex-England player Paul Stewart and David White of historic male sexual abuse have already seen other players come forward and are likely to encourage more players who have been abused to tell of what has happened to them.

This follows earlier patterns of disclosure about churches and other institutions in which most people had faith that they were proper guardians of those in their care. Sadly, we have all been disabused of this myth yet there is still so much more to uncover not just in institutions but also in people’s homes.

SurvivorsUK has thirty years experience of providing a national, anonymous and confidential place in which men can tell their stories and receive appropriate help. We know how difficult it is for men to come forward for fear of disbelief and ridicule and we must all do more to provide a safe setting for that to be done. There is now increasing evidence that as many as 90% of those who have been abused actually do not come forward – there is so much more to be done.